PR Week, Clare O'Connor, 28/2/2008

Multibillion-pound power company GE Energy has brought in Europe-wide PR support as part of an aggressive green strategy.

GE Energy has drafted in Paris-based Hopscotch PR and its sister company Hopscotch Europe in One with a full media relations programme in five European markets, including the UK.

Hopscotch Europe in One will promote the company and its technologies to the UK energy, environmental and business media from its Dublin headquarters.

Hopscotch Europe in One MD Patrick Frison-Roche, a former Text 100 PRO, will lead the UK part of the account from the agency's Irish office. Frison-Roche will report to EMEA director of comms and public affairs Frank Farnel, with a dotted line report into internal comms head Donna Mischefski at GE Energy's Bracknell office.

The agency will focus on promoting new GE technologies, including its Arklow Bank wind turbine park off the Irish coast.

'Our overall objective is to promote the European implementation of GE,' said Frison-Roche. 'The company is still perceived as a large US corporation, so what we are doing here is ensuring stakeholders, influencers and other audiences are clear about its importance in Europe.'

Despite being based in Ireland, Frison-Roche said Hopscotch Europe in One would not be outsourcing any of its UK media relations work for the energy giant. 'This is our specialty: international PR without being locally based,' he said.

Hopscotch has also been briefed to promote GE Energy as an ideal employer. 'We wish to communicate the diversity of opportunities GE Energy offers, by being as close as possible to our customers and to our potential employees,' said EMEA comms head Farnel.

GE Energy works in all areas of the power industry, with interests in coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy and many renewable resources.